Former DHS Chief Kristi Noem Planning Divorce From Bryon After Scandal

When a marriage of more than three decades unravels in the public eye, the family feels it first—and hardest. That’s the picture painted by Corinne Arnold, mother of former United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, who confirmed that her daughter is planning to divorce her husband, Bryon Noem, months after reports of his alleged secret double life sent shockwaves through their family.

In a July 10 interview with the Daily Mail, Arnold revealed that Kristi had told her directly about the split during a family birthday gathering in late spring. When pressed about whether they might reconcile, Kristi made it clear: the answer was no. She’s already consulting with a lawyer from Sioux Falls. Arnold, 77, said the decision didn’t come lightly.“The way that I brought up my kids, I know that they don’t just jump into big decisions. It took a long time for her to figure it out,”she reflected.

The context here matters. In March 2026, roughly three months before Arnold’s interview, Bryon made headlines when reports surfaced—including photos published by the Daily Mail—of him wearing fake breasts and appearing on fetish sites. The revelations blindsided everyone. A spokesperson for Kristi released a statement saying the family was“devastated”and had been“blindsided by this,”asking for privacy and prayers. President Donald Trump, Kristi’s former boss who had nominated her as Secretary of Homeland Security in 2025 before reassigning her in March to the role of Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, said simply:“I feel badly for the family if that’s the case.”

What makes Arnold’s account particularly poignant is her acknowledgment of the human cost beyond the headlines. She hasn’t seen Bryon in a couple months since that spring party—a man who’s been part of her family for years, who is a grandfather to grandchildren who love him.“You have to remember that Bryon’s been in our family for many years,”she said.“The sad part is that he’s a grandpa.”

Kristi and Bryon married in 1992 after meeting in high school. They share three adult children and have become grandparents. As of the publication date, Us Weekly reported that no divorce documents had been located, and neither Kristi nor Bryon has publicly commented on the split. The scandal stripped away the veneer of a long marriage in real time, leaving behind a family processing both betrayal and loss—even as they move forward separately.